Manitoba Tory leadership candidates talk crime, taxes and health care in last official square-off

The two candidates vying for the leadership of Manitoba's Progressive Conservative party squared off Wednesday night in a debate that touched on crime, health care, taxes and other issues.

Obby Khan, a former cabinet minister who now sits on the Opposition side of the legislature, again pitched himself as a big-tent conservative who could help the party regain support in Winnipeg.

Wally Daudrich, a hotel owner and longtime party board member who has not held elected office, told the crowd of more than 100 that he is the only true conservative in the race and that the party has "lost its way" in recent years.

Daudrich has promised smaller government and a more business-friendly environment, including a new port on Hudson Bay. He has described himself as "pro-life" and has said some of his supporters feel the education system has become an "indoctrination system."

On Wednesday, he criticized the NDP government's move last year to cover the cost of prescription birth control.

"The NDP also won Winnipeg [in the 2023 election] by providing the poorest, most vulnerable women in Winnipeg with free birth control. Because when you are the most vulnerable in our society, you don't need safety, you don't need housing, you don't need an education or a job. You need the ability to be more sexually active," Daudrich said.

He also said a new government bill to add gender expression to the human rights code goes against free speech, and the Tories could regain seats in Winnipeg and win an election if they leaned more conservative.

Khan, one of two Tories with seats in Winnipeg, said he would rebuild support in the city by attracting a wider range of support and working well with others.

Khan revealed a new plank in his platform as he addressed the crowd. He said he would give a percentage of the provincial sales tax to municipalities, which have long complained about the level of provincial funding.

When pressed for details by reporters later, Khan offered few and could not say what percentage he would offer.

"We'd have to look at what other provinces are doing, really, and what the needs are. It could be anywhere from 0.5 per cent to more," Khan said.

The Tories are working to rebuild after losing the 2023 election. Although their percentage of the popular vote provincewide was close behind that of the NDP, the Tories lost most of their seats in Winnipeg and ended up with only three of the 32 seats in the capital.

On crime, both candidates called for more police and stricter monitoring of people on bail. On health care, both men said they would help communities get more doctors. Daudrich said he would change the law so that charitable hospital foundations could raise money for salaries, not just capital projects.

Wednesday's debate was the last official party forum featuring the two candidates before party members cast their ballots, largely via mail-in vote. A winner is to be announced April 26.